New O’Reilly chieftain says uniting the clan "could be the start of something bigger”

The holder of three Cavan Senior Championship medals with Cavan Gaels, J.J. O’Reilly has been chosen as the new Chieftain of the Reilly O’Reilly Clan.

The popular choice was made in the Farnham Arms Hotel last night (Tuesday) and to celebrate J.J. regaled the audience with his rousing rendition of ‘The Gallant John Joe’.

He collected the medals on the playing field in 1975, 77 and 78 and tonight, Wednesday he will receive the chain of office when the inauguration takes place in the Kilmore Hotel in the presence of the Mexican Ambassador.

Asked how he feels about being crowned chieftain for the first time in over 400 years, J.J. O’Reilly replied, “It is a different sort of feeling – it is a different area for me – I’m more used to the football arena and managing successful minor and underage teams for the last twenty to twenty five years.
“It has given me a huge respect of the O’Reilly Clan – I have been doing a good bit of reading in the last while out of interest.
“It was interesting to see so many Reilly O’Reilly’s there last night and all so proud of the fact that they had the name, and now that they have a Clan Chieftain, it will act as a focal point and make them more aware of themselves as a unit.

'I think it could be the start of something bigger.”
The new Chieftain has ambitions to bring the O'Reilly festival across the Atlantic.

“There is no reason why some Reilly or O’Reilly’s could not go out to an O’Reilly festival in New York and the New Yorkers return the favour and maybe other cities as well”.